The invention relates to an apparatus for thermally conditioning objects, in particular vehicle bodies, comprising
a housing;
at least two thermally conditioning facilities which are arranged parallel in their operation, are accommodated in the housing and each comprise
ba) a tunnel-like useful space, in which the objects can be impinged by thermally conditioned air;
bb) a conveying system, by which the objects can be moved through the useful space.
The term “thermally conditioning” is used in the present case as a generic term for all ways in which the temperature of the air by which objects are to be impinged is adjusted to a specific value. Thus, “thermally conditioning” can mean, for example, “heating”, which is of importance particularly when the apparatus is designed as a drier. However, “thermally conditioning” can also be “cooling” if the objects are to be brought to a lower temperature.
Apparatuses of the type mentioned at the outset are known from the market in the automotive industry, where painted vehicle bodies or body components are to be dried or cooled. To increase the drying or cooling capacity, a plurality of parallel-arranged thermally conditioning facilities, i.e. drying or cooling facilities, are frequently employed, these being guided either in each case as “individual tubes” through separate housings or, lying one beside the other, through one and the same housing. However, the space requirement of these known apparatuses is relatively high.